The Netherlands's city of Delft
By: Carol MatthewsTravel appeals to me because you can see and touch the things you've only read about, meet people with new and different ideas, and discover places you didn't know existed before. Which is how I came to visit the city of Delft in the Netherlands.
Delft is an hour's train ride southwest of Amsterdam. I chose the trip because I wanted to see more of the Netherlands countryside as well as learn more about Delft's famous blue and white pottery.
Settled comfortably in the train I watched the landscape roll by, there were plenty of farms, villages, and fields, but surprisingly few windmills.
Once off the train I took a taxi to the Delftware factory, but I could have walked. That's the wonderful thing about European cities and towns. They were built hundreds of years ago when walking was the primary form of transportation. Walking is still the easiest and best way to see the towns today.
The Delft city charter is dated 1246, and the city centre still has original medieval structures to prove it. In fact, it is one of Holland's best preserved towns, with arched bridges over the canals, massive churches, and stately mansions. The city started as a commercial area with cloth manufacturers, breweries, and a busy shipping trade. It was the residence of Holland's royal family in the 1500s, and William of Orange was living in Delft when he was murdered - the bullet holes from the attack are still visible in 'Het Prinsenhof', the Municipal Museum. In its Golden Age in the 1700s, Delft was home to the Dutch East India Company as well as famous scientists and painters, including 17th century painter Jan Vermeer.
It was also during this period that the famous blue and white delftware was first manufactured. Inspired by pottery brought back from China, dozens of factories sprang up in Delft to create the earthenware with traditional Dutch designs. The only original factory left today is 'De Porceleyne Fles', translated 'The Porcelain Jar', which was founded in 1653.
Visitors to the factory and museum will be wowed by what they see and learn. It begins with a short video of the town of Delft and its history. Next I was led to a life-size masterpiece - 20 tiles high by 24 tiles wide - a reproduction of Rembrandt's 'Night Watch' painted in Delft Blue that took over a year to complete. Nearby was a display of Delftware from the 17th century, donated by the royal family. It was displayed in a huge wooden and glass cabinet worthy of its own visit. Finally I was led through the factory where I was shown the story of the pottery from molds to finished product.
The artists painted the fired bisque shapes with what appeared to be black paint, which is then painted over with a white glaze. The magic happens with the subsequent firing. The glaze became transparent and the black paint turned to cobalt blue. Lighter and darker blues can be created by using different amounts of paint. Master painters do 'one-of-a-kind' designs, while less experienced painters use a stencil to create the traditional designs. I also had the opportunity to paint my own tile, another one-of-a-kind masterpiece. Once I had experienced all of this I was set loose in the giftshop.
There are exquisite examples of the different patterns painted on Delft pottery, many more than the traditional blue and white. There are colourful patterns such as Delft Black, Pijnacker (mainly red, blue and gold), and polychrome (blue, yellow, green and red), at least one will suit your taste.
Once through the museum and factory, take a moment to enjoy the courtyard garden. Its peaceful formal design with flowers, sculptures, and walkways, was a nice contrast to the busyness inside.
If you still have time be sure to visit the Military Museum where you will be treated to the history of warfare - from prehistory up to the present day. Scarily fascinating are the prehistoric weapons, and the painfully romantic armor of the Middle Ages.
For a special lunch visit the Leonidas Lunch Tearoom at Choorstraat 24. You can dine outside on the pavement, or inside the tearoom, but the best spot is in the back garden with its vine-covered walls and shade tree. Ask for an English menu (magazines are available while you wait), and order the delicious hot chocolate.
Next door is a Leonidas Chocolate Shop with hundreds of rows of exquisite chocolates neatly displayed. There are also tempting and decadent samples available. The impressive variety of beautifully boxed chocolates and tins of chocolate powder or chocolate chips are wonderful gifts to take home - if they last that long!
